Instead of replacing that banged-up interior door, save some money by repairing the holes. Home builders often install hollow rather than solid doors inside homes to increase their bottom line. Because the doors lack solid cores, however, people or objects easily damage them or leave unsightly holes in the door. Wood filler is an ideal material to repair small to medium-sized holes in hollow doors. The type of wood filler required to repair the door depends on its finish. With painted doors, most types of filler will do. Stained and varnished doors require stainable wood filler, however.

1

Remove loose or jagged edges and splinters using a sharp utility knife and sandpaper. Dust off the area surrounding the hole.

2

Apply an adequate amount of nonexpanding spray foam insulation to the hole. You want to fill the hole completely and allow it to dry. The foam creates a solid base to support the wood filler.

3

Remove a thin layer of the dried spray foam using the utility knife. The idea is to create a small cavity inside of the hole to support the wood filler.

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4

Apply an ample amount of wood filler to the hole using a putty knife. Overfill the hole with enough material to raise the repair slightly higher than the door's surface. Allow the wood filler to dry completely.

5

Sand the repair with 100-grit sandpaper until the repair is flush with the door's surface. For a smoother finish, sand the repair once more with 200-grit sandpaper.

6

Clean the door surface with a rag and mineral spirits to remove dust. Paint or stain the door to conceal the repair.

Things Needed

Utility knife

Sandpaper

Nonexpanding spray foam insulation

Wood filler

Putty knife

Rag

Mineral spirits

Warnings

Do not use expanding spray foam insulation. The material expands at it dries. This can cause the door to swell, which you do not want to happen.

Tips

Use automotive body filler to repair hollow doors that are painted. The two-part filler dries extremely fast and provides a strong and solid repair.

References

Photo Credits

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About the Author

Robert Ferguson has been a writer since 2000. His published work includes material for major companies in the home improvement, plumbing, HVAC and power tool industry. Ferguson is a self-employed, licensed building contractor in Florida with more than 30 years of hands on experience experience focusing primarily on residential remodeling, repair, renovation and construction.